Good afternoon welcome back. Great is His faithfulness.
Mathew 5:43-48
Love Your Enemies
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 [a]But I say to you,love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your [b]brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the [c]tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, justas your Father in heaven is perfect.
We must free ourselves from all the hate, sadness, and anger, so we can receive the greatest virtue: its perfect love of our enemies and it's not based off emotion, but includes both decision and action. We are taught by Christ to treat our end as the closest members of our own family. (See 1 John 4:7-21).
As Christians v. 48 is telling us we can grow in perfection through the Father - (Ephesians 4:13; talk about "Deification"; also reference 2Peter 1). All of this is shown by imitating Christ, His love and merc- (see and compare, Luke 6:36).
A read an article about "Deification" out of my orthodox study Bible see my video for reading and discussion.
Romans 8:28-30
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
It's through both the Scriptures and of ones experiences with God for both to bear witness THAT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THOSE WHO LOVE GOD. We all have setbacks, trials and tribulations, but remember God turns them into "light afflictions" (2 Corinthians 4:17-18; and 2 Corinthians 12:9-10). God has foreknowledge of all things.
(other sources used out of the devotional, Leviticus 19:2 and v. 17 and Ephesians 6:10-18).
See my video for prayer focus and moving forward questions.
Numbers 6:24-26
“The Lord bless you and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
26 The Lord [a]lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.” ’
In Christ love Jared W Campbell
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